Carclo Technical Plastics (CTP) is an engineering company that produces plastic products.
The firm specialises in injection moulding and assembling bespoke plastic components and devices to precision tolerances in line with customer specification. CTP currently has manufacturing facilities in the UK, the US, Czech Republic, China and India, all of which are accredited to ISO 9001 and ISO 13485: 2016. Its 2019-2020 turnover was £103m.
Customers range from multinational corporations to startup companies in the medical, electronics, optics and security industries, many of whom use multiple CTP facilities to shorten their supply chains when serving global markets. Medical applications account for around 70% of the company’s turnover.
Plastic medical components
CTP’s portfolio includes surgical disposables, ostomy and urine bag components, asthma inhalers, pens and auto-injectors, diagnostic disposables and contact lens packaging.
Accurate injection and moulding capabilities
CTP practises precision injection, two-shot and insert moulding, using tools and automation technologies procured from a global network of approved vendors. It designs, develops and manufactures plastic optical components using optical coating, and has a strong background in plastic gear manufacture, product development and rapid speed-to-market.
CTP follows continuous improvement methodologies and the principles of lean manufacturing. From 2015 to 2020, the company achieved a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 50% and has invested in its facilities by expanding its manufacturing capacity significantly. This expansion involved building state-of-the-art manufacturing cells for insulin pen components in the UK, in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) device components in the UK and US, and the company’s first dedicated manufacturing cell for medical applications in India.
CTP continues to invest in new technologies that complement its existing capabilities. These include precision moulding of capillary features for next-generation point-of-care medical diagnostic devices, soluble polymers for use in medical devices and drug delivery, coatings and processes for plastics to impart improved surface properties, light-emitting diode (LED) optics for use across the industry, and process monitoring technologies to ensure optimal production.
New product development partnerships
CTP works with both established and startup companies, via their in-house design teams or external consultants, to develop new products in the medical sector. Once the product has been developed, CTP works with customers to ensure that production is scaled up in the most appropriate global locations.
About CTP
CTP prides itself on achieving the highest possible levels of customer satisfaction and transfers production lines to suit its customers’ requirements. The company also operates vendor-managed inventory warehouses to reduce freight costs and timescales.
All CTP facilities operate the same materials requirement planning (MRP) system and a fully integrated quality management system.
Based in the US, UK, the Czech Republic, China and India, the facilities take a cell-based approach with high levels of automation and adhere to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).